BOOP, BOOP, FIZZ

[mrshowbiz90210]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 2:07pm

I saw the show in Chicago and while it had a few entertaining moments, I could never understand how this show could successfully transfer to Broadway. The book is weak, the music is forgettable and the topic is no longer relevant as a cultural phenom. 

Now, David Foster has a track record of separating billionaire's from their money and this show capitalized quickly, but I have done a careful audit of the ticket sales 3 weeks before the opening (April 5th) and 3 weeks after and the houses are at approx. 30%. It just can't make it. Even if they were and should be opening it for the summer crowds, what kind of audience, diverse or not, remembers or cares about Betty Boop? and sadly, there are no stars beyond a director who will take the money and run to the next show and David Foster who will collect royalties on the music. Foster has been hucking this show for the last  24 months during his tour  and audiences sit their in a coma  hoping he will just play Celine and Whitney songs. This Boop is about to fizz.                                  

         

[FolliesCabaret]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 2:22pm

It was one of the best times I've ever had at the theatre. Sorry you hate fun!  

[veronicamae]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 2:34pm

why does this read like a borderline blind item on deux moi

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 2:44pm

 

[mrshowbiz90210]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 2:45pm

Blind item? darling, I did not like the show and interested in the journey. This board is not only for cheer leaders and pom poms. Sometimes, people express an honest opinion about something that does not work. Onwards.             

[mrshowbiz90210]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 2:47pm

I love fun. I loved Sunset and Louis. Boop! is a novelty act put together by committee. You can smell the tension between Jerry Mitchell and David Foster.           

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 2:53pm

FolliesCabaret said: "It was one of the best times I've ever had at the theatre. Sorry you hate fun!"

I agree. I saw it twice in Chicago and thought it was very entertaining. No, it's not Pulitzer Prize material and yes, it could use some tweaks, but I had a great time.

Updated On: 1/19/25 at 02:53 PM

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 3:00pm

Is there a reason this couldn't have been posted in the existing thread?

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/thread/BOOPHeading-to-Broadway-in-April-2025

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 3:18pm

MemorableUserName said: "Is there a reason this couldn't have been posted in the existing thread?

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/thread/BOOPHeading-to-Broadway-in-April-2025"

Because the OP was trying to be incendiary :) Perhaps they have an agenda against Foster or Haber or someone, and that's what prompted that rambling post...

Regardless, the OP's claim that they conducted a "careful audit" of ticket sales, and that they could deduce anything from it, is laughable: it's 7 weeks from the start of previews, the show has spent very little on advertising the New York production at this point, and the majority of sales occur closer to week-of in the current theatrical landscape (unless you happen to be a rare "event" show like Sunset or Gypsy).

Two other points to mention:

• It's probably actually less than 30% sold. Must consider house seat holds, press holds, tech holds, etc.
• I'd be surprised if the show is fully capitalized yet. That would be a greater cause for worry than ticket sales right now.

[pablitonizer]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 3:28pm

I wouldn't consider presales a defining factor since ticket buyers' habit has changed after the pandemic. Many shows have not had great presales but are doing great during the run. Unless of course the show has a big name attached or excellent built-up WOM.

 

Having said that, it's way to soon to predict how it'll do but it seems to me BOOP tried to take advantage of the whole 'Barbie' movement success back in 2023 but it's 2025 now, does anyone still think of that movie? Personally, nothing about BOOP excites me since the cartoon is way older than me. At least Barbie is still alive and around but BOOP? It must be a lot of fun but in this economy and with a pretty uncertain 2025, I think I'll pass

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 3:33pm

I could never understand how this show could successfully transfer to Broadway

It won't be successful on Broadway. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 3:33pm

While BOOP and BARBIE may have some similarities in their stories, they were developed simultaneously/separately, and planning for the Chicago production was already well underway when Barbie became a thing.

The big takeaway from Barbie (and Wicked, and Frozen, and Taylor Swift) should be that there is an appetite for stories catering to young women. Which isn't exactly new for Broadway. But I don't know that that's the natural target audience for BOOP, a musical written/directed/produced by men in their 60s-70s and a woman in her late 80s.....feels, to me, a little more adjacent to SOME LIKE IT HOT. (I didn't see Boop in Chicago)

Updated On: 1/19/25 at 03:33 PM

[Listener]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 5:35pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "

I'm laughing hard at this. Thank you.

"

 

[witchoftheeast2]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 5:39pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "While BOOP and BARBIE may have some similarities in their stories, they were developed simultaneously/separately, and planning for the Chicago production was already well underway when Barbiebecame a thing.

The big takeaway from Barbie (and Wicked, and Frozen, and Taylor Swift) should be that there is an appetite for stories catering toyoung women. Which isn't exactly new for Broadway. But I don't know that that's the naturaltarget audience for BOOP, a musical written/directed/producedby men in their 60s-70s and a woman in her late 80s.....feels, to me, a little more adjacent to SOME LIKE IT HOT. (I didn't seeBoop in Chicago)"

At least you understand the mindset and where the creatives are coming from, unlike a lot of other people here 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/19/25 at 9:29pm

80% of new shows fail to recoup, so it's not like the OP is really going out on a limb.   A month ago, people couldn't see how Maybe Happy Ending hadn't announced closing - now it seems as if it's turned itself around.

[mrshowbiz90210]

Posted: 1/20/25 at 8:58am

The references to Some Like It Hot, a star driven chestnut and Barbie, global phenom are somewhat delusional. You can  compare Boop! to mounting Thoroughly Modern Millie with a no name cast or perhaps The Black Crook. The question is why now? and where is the demand? The notion that the the producers have not spent any money yet is laughable in that Foster has been promoting this show for 2 years and with a $30 million budget, I think we have another Pirate Queen.                         

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/20/25 at 1:00pm

mrshowbiz90210 said: "Some Like It Hot, a star driven chestnut"

Nothing could be more delusional than implying that a star was driving Some Like It Hot.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 1/20/25 at 2:04pm

Ive been asking who this was for since it was first announced and I haven't stopped asking. Aside from the one song I haven't seen one thing ive liked...

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 1/20/25 at 2:19pm

You can compare Boop! to mounting Thoroughly Modern Millie

Sorry, does this show have a secret Broadway star as her understudy? This show is decade(s) late, like The Heart of Rock and Roll or the giant waste of money that was Here Lies Love 

Updated On: 1/20/25 at 02:19 PM

[mrshowbiz90210]

Posted: 1/20/25 at 2:23pm

really? tell that to Matt Loehr and Leandra Ellis-Gaston. Wonderful stars!!!

Don't be a snob darling!  

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 1/20/25 at 2:32pm

Lolz. "Stars" 😂

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/20/25 at 3:01pm

mrshowbiz90210 said: "really? tell that to Matt Loehr and Leandra Ellis-Gaston. Wonderful stars!!!

Don't be a snob darling!"

I regularly see shows on Broadway and have never heard of these 2 names. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/20/25 at 3:16pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "mrshowbiz90210 said: "really? tell that to Matt Loehr and Leandra Ellis-Gaston. Wonderful stars!!!

Don't be a snob darling!"

I regularly see shows on Broadway and have never heard of these 2 names."

The OP is being a troll. (The OP is also continuing to spew false information, as Loehr & Gaston didn't appear in the Broadway production of SLIH, merely the tour.)

[mrshowbiz90210]

Posted: 1/20/25 at 3:20pm

respectfully, I am not a troll. Both stars are in the cast

 https://somelikeithotmusical.com/cast-creative/

please stop wasting time on this, someone cam have an opinion on BOOP! Onwards   

 

 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 1/20/25 at 3:29pm

This is basically the same thing people were saying in 1977 when Annie premiered and had a less than auspicious debut at the Goodspeed Opera House. “Nobody wants to see a show based on a a comic strip nobody reads anymore” they said.

Well, ANNIE ended up doing quite fine, thank you- I think we need to see how audiences in NYC respond to the revised production of BOOP that will play Broadway before we write it off.